"I always knew that cycling wasn't just the act of riding a bike. It was always far more emotional....far more ethereal practice than just pedaling." -Rapha Continental rider
Several years ago I rode to Point Pelee daily
I used to ride. A lot. 100kms a day. Almost every day. I loved it. Loved life. I saw a short movie today that made me realize the possible folly of my ways. http://www.rapha.cc/rapha-continental-the-movie/?cm_mmc=email-_-270511-_-textlink1-_-movie Here I am . Slowly recovering from supposed pneumonia, a fairly badly sprained hand and a pretty bad crack in a $5,000 bike frame. I'm depressed. I can't ride with my team, and even if I do .....I can't keep up with them right now. I don't have the lungs or legs for it. Or maybe its just that I don't have the head for it. Over the past year or so all I do is ride here in the city. Ride laps around a couple of business HQ's on roads deserted after 6:00pm. All so I can get faster. Not so I can enjoy myself. Not so I can come home with lungs washed clean with fresh rural air. Not so my mind returns refreshed and ready to focus. Not so I can stop and hear the sound of a near by creek's water running hurriedly over some jagged rocks. Just so I can be a bit faster. I think I used to feel more fulfilled....more rich inside when I used to ride by myself. Or at least riding for myself instead of racing with others.
Nightly rides around the Crit course isn't doing it for me
Now that I think about it I really don't think cycling is giving back to me the equal to what I'm putting in. Maybe it is.......I don't know. I used to really enjoy getting suited up to go ride for the day. Now it kind of seems like a chore. I hope I can get a handle on this . I think a better balance between the competitive aspect and the pure enjoyment part would really help. I found that balance with beer, quality over quantity. I've got some thinking to do. Riding from Mississauga up to Rattlensnake point tomorrow morning. Fuck, will I ever be pissed if I get hit by a car again.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, fresh oxygen!
I used to ride. A lot. 100kms a day. Almost every day. I loved it. Loved life. I saw a short movie today that made me realize the possible folly of my ways. http://www.rapha.cc/rapha-continental-the-movie/?cm_mmc=email-_-270511-_-textlink1-_-movie Here I am . Slowly recovering from supposed pneumonia, a fairly badly sprained hand and a pretty bad crack in a $5,000 bike frame. I'm depressed. I can't ride with my team, and even if I do .....I can't keep up with them right now. I don't have the lungs or legs for it. Or maybe its just that I don't have the head for it. Over the past year or so all I do is ride here in the city. Ride laps around a couple of business HQ's on roads deserted after 6:00pm. All so I can get faster. Not so I can enjoy myself. Not so I can come home with lungs washed clean with fresh rural air. Not so my mind returns refreshed and ready to focus. Not so I can stop and hear the sound of a near by creek's water running hurriedly over some jagged rocks. Just so I can be a bit faster. I think I used to feel more fulfilled....more rich inside when I used to ride by myself. Or at least riding for myself instead of racing with others.
Now that I think about it I really don't think cycling is giving back to me the equal to what I'm putting in. Maybe it is.......I don't know. I used to really enjoy getting suited up to go ride for the day. Now it kind of seems like a chore. I hope I can get a handle on this . I think a better balance between the competitive aspect and the pure enjoyment part would really help. I found that balance with beer, quality over quantity. I've got some thinking to do. Riding from Mississauga up to Rattlensnake point tomorrow morning. Fuck, will I ever be pissed if I get hit by a car again.
